While IT and realty stocks advanced, auto and banking counters were under selling pressure.

Among the Sensex stocks, DLF was the biggest gainer. The stock rose 4.2 per cent. TCS, Infosys and Tata Power were the other major gainers in the pack. However, Tata Motors, HDFC, SBI and Tata Steel were among the main losers in the pack. The stocks fell more than 1.5 per cent each.